Internal combustion engine



Dec. 18, 1962 v. BENOIT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 8, 1961 25 mwfl m m w W HM; 7* y/ a M 6 M, 8 2 g Q M Luvs BENOlT h'ORNEYS 3,068,639 INTERNAL CQMBUSTIQN ENGINE Luis V. Benoit, 1937 Calle .I. Forteza, Santiago, Chile Filed Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 136,912 Claims priority, application France Sept. 12, 1960 11 \Claims. (CI. 60-43) The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, to an internal combustion engine wherein the exploded gases are directed to a turbine to drive the turbine. More particularly, according to the present invention, the engine comprises two opposed, aligned cylinders having a single piston reciprocably mounted therein, said piston being reciprocated by means of an eccentric cam, said cam being rotated by the rotation of the turbine.

Conventional internal combustion engines include one or more pistons with each piston acting on a crankshaft through a connecting rod, the work of the engine being effected by the rotation of the crankshaft. On the contrary, according to the present invention, the exploding gases are directed into a gas turbine to cause rotation of the turbine and the work being done by the engine is efiected by the rotation of the turbine. According to the present invention, the pistons are reciprocated by means of a cam shaft, said cam shaft being rotated by the turbine. This has the advantage of eliminating the crankshaft and the connecting rods whose presence in the conventional engine creates complex problems of balancing and lubrication.

Since the force generated by the explosion of the explosive fluids does its work through a turbine, there is assured a steady transmission of power in a smoother manner than can be effected by the conventional internal combustion engine.

In the classical four-cylinder, four-stroke engine, one explosion takes place with every half revolution of the crankshaft. According to the present invention, an engine having four cylinders would produce four explosions for each revolution of the eccentric. Therefore, a classical four-stroke engine giving full power requires the commonly-used speed of 4,000 rpm. The engine of the present invention would require, on the basis of the same number of explosions, only 2,000 r.p.m. to produce the same power. It is apparent, therefore, that the engine of the present invention will normally have a greater life than that of the conventional engine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, internal combustion engine wherein the exploding gases are used to drive a turbine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an internal combustion engine wherein the exploding gases are used to drive a turbine and where the pistons are reciprocated by the rotation of the turbine.

These and other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section of the engine, the piston of the engine being at its point of maximum compression in one cylinder and in the final phase of admission of explosive fluid into the opposite cylinder;

FIGURE 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section of the engine of the present invention immediately after the compressed fluid has been exploded in one of the cylinders.

Referring to the figures in the illustrated form of the invention, there is provided a pair of opposed, aligned coaxial cylinders and 11, the cylinders being kept in place by housing 12. In the cylinders there is reciprocably mounted a double-acting piston 13 having an upper end 14 coacting in cylinder 10 and lower end 15 coacting with 3,068,639. Patented Dec. 18, 1962 lower cylinder 11. The extreme ends of the cylinders are closed by cylinder heads, cylinder head 16A closing cylinder 10 and cylinder head 16 closing cylinder 11. I In each cylinder, there is positioned in opposition to the corresponding end of the double-acting piston, a reciprocablymounted counterpiston, counterpiston 17 being positioned in cylinder 10 in opposition with end 14 of the piston 13 and counterpiston 18 being reciprocably mounted in cylinder 11 in opposition to end 15 of piston 13.

Resilient means such as springs 19 and 20 resiliently urge the counterpistons 17 and 18, respectively, toward the corresponding end of the piston 13. Springs 19 and 20 are helical compression springs, one end of the spring bearing against the inner surface of the cylinder head with the other end of the spring abutting the rear of the counterpiston and being positioned in a blind bore 21.

Between piston end 14 and counterpiston 17, there is a space 22 which defines a combustion chamber. A similar space 23 is present at the other end of the engine between piston end 15- and counterpiston 18.

In communication with each combustion chamber is an admission conduit or manifold for introducing the explosive fluids into the combustion chamber. Admission manifold 24 introduces the fluid into combustion chamber 22 and admission manifold 25 introduces the fluid into combustion chamber 23. Exhaust manifold or conduit 26 is in communication with combustion chamber 22 and exhaust manifold 27 is in communication with combustion chamber 23.

In each combustion chamber, there is provided a spark plug, spark plug 28 being in combustion chamber 22, a spark plug 29 being in combustion chamber 23. Each exhaust manifold directs the gases from the combustion chamber into turbine 30, said turbine being merely indicated in the drawing. Since such turbines are well known, it is not considered necessary to show a detailed structure of the turbine.

Admission manifold 24 is provided with a valve 31 and admission manifold 25 is provided with a valve 32.

There is also a valve 33 partially controlling communication between combustion chamber 22 and exhaust manifold 26. A similar valve 34 partially controls communication between combustion chamber 23 and exhaust manifold 27.

The exhaust manifold 26 includes a branch conduit 35 in communication with a port 36 in the wall of cylinder 10. Valve 33 does not interfere with the fluid flow from port 36 through conduit branch 35 into exhaust manifold 26. Exhaust manifold 27 includes a similar branch 37 and port 38.

In the hollow of the piston there are mounted two longitudinally-spaced apart transverse studs 39 and 40. Positioned between these studs is an eccentric cam 41 mounted on a cam shaft 42 which enters the interior of the piston through slot 43 of the piston wall. It is apparent that as cam shaft 42 rotates, eccentric cam 41 will rotate with the cam shaft. During rotation of the eccentric cam 41, its periphery will contact the studs 39 and 40 to cause reciprocation of the piston 13, the extent of reciprocation of the piston being the length of the slot 43.

Cam shaft 42 is interconnected with turbine 30 by means diagrammatically indicated by numeral 44. Any conventional means can be used to transmit the rotary motion of the turbine 30 to the cam shaft 42. It is not considered necessary to complicate the instant drawings by showing such conventional structure in detail. Similarly, valves 31, 32, 33 and 34 are operated in timed sequence by appropriate cams (not shown) on the cam shaft 42.

Operation The eccentric cam 41 carried by cam shaft 42 is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 45. At the position of the cam shown in FIGURE 1, the upper end 14 of the piston is at its maximum upward position. At this point, the explosive fluid, such as a gasoline-air mixture, has already been introduced and the combustion chamber 22. and valves 31 and 33, operated in appropriate sequence by the cam shaft, are closed. Therefore, the fluid in chamber 22 is under maximum compression. At this time, a spark is created by the spark plug 28 and the explosive mixture is exploded. At the time of the explosion, valve 33 is moved by the cam shaft to the open position. Due to the pressure of the explosion, or the pressure of the exploded gases, the pressure increases in the combustion chamber and counterpiston 17 is urged upwardly against the force of spring 19. Counterpiston 17 moves upwardly since the valve 33 is not large enough to allow all the exploded gases to pass into the exhaust conduit 26. When counterpiston 17 moves to its upward position, it unblocks the port 36 in the cylinder wall thereby providing further communication between the combustion chamber 22 and the exhaust conduit 26. Once the pressure of the explosion diminishes, spring 19 urges counterpiston 17 to its lower position thereby helping to complete exhaustion of the exploded gases. In its downward travel, counterpiston 17 blocks port 36.

FIGURE 2 shows the position of the elements at the time of the explosion. The exploded gases are directed to the'turbine to cause rotation thereof and the rotation of the turbine causes rotation of thecam shaft 42.

While the above action is taken place in the upper portion of the engine, the lower portion is being filled with explosive fluid. As shown in FIGURE 1 at the point where the upper end 14 of the piston is at its'position of maximum compression, valve 32 in the admission conduit is open so that the explosive fluid can filow into combustion chamber 23. At this time, valve 34 in the exhaust conduit is closed.

Immediately after the explosion and exhaustion of the gases in combustion chamber 23, the rotation of cam 41 urges the piston downwardly so that the lower end 15 of the piston compresses the fluid in combustion chamber 23. During this downward movement of the piston, admission valve 32 and exhaust valve 33 are closed by the action of the cam shaft while valve 31 is opened to permit the entry of a new charge of explosive fluid into the upper piston.

At the time of the explosion, as stated previously, exhaust valve 33 is opened so that some of the gases can flow through the valve, as shown by arrow 46. When the upper movement of the counterpiston opens port 36, the exploded gases also leave the combustion chamber 22 as indicated by arrow 47.

Attention is directed to the shape of the cam 41, particularly the top or wide edge 48 thereof. This edge is so shapedthat once the piston reaches its point of maximum compression, the piston remains at this point until the exploded gases are exhausted. It also isiapparent that, due to the shape of the upper edge 48 of the cam, the force of the explosion does not move the piston away first piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, at counterpiston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder in opposition to said first piston, the space in said cylinder between said pistons defining a combustion chamber, means for introducing explosive fluid into said combustion chamber, means for urging said first piston toward said counterpiston to compress said explosive fluid, means for exploding said explosive fluid when under compression in said combustion chamber, resilient means urging said counterpiston toward said first piston whereby explosion of said fluid urges said counterpiston, against the force of said resilient means, away from said first piston to enlarge the combustion chamber to receive exploded gases, conduit means for conducting exploded gases out of said combustion chamber to a turbine, valve means controlling communication between said combustion chamber and said conduit means, said valve means including a valve responsive to the movement of said counterpiston so that said valve is closed during compression of said fluid but open when said counterpiston is urged away from said first piston by the exploding fluid.

Furthermore, according to the invention, means are provided for maintaining the piston at its point of compression for a predetermined time to allow the explosion to take place and to allow the exploded gases to be conducted out of the explosion chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the engine comprises a pair of opposed, aligned cylinders with a double-acting piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinders. The piston is reciprocated by an eccentric cam mounted on a cam shaft and the cam shaft is reciprocated by a turbine which is driven by the exhaust gases from the engine.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a first piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a counterpiston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder in opposition to said first piston, the space in said cylinder between said pistons defining a combustion chamber, means for introducing explosive fluid into said combustion chamber, means for urging said first piston toward said counterpiston to compress said explosive fluid, means for exploding said explosive fluid when under compression in said combustion chamber, resilient means urging said counterpiston toward said first piston whereby explosion of said fluid urges said counterpiston, against the force of said resilient means, away from said first piston to enlarge the combustion chamber to receive exploded gases, a turbine, conduit means for conducting exploded gases out of said combustion chamber to said turbine, valve means controlling communication between said combustion chamber and said conduit means, said valve means including a valve responsive to the movement of said T counterpiston so that said valve is closed during comfrom the chamber in which the explosion occurs. Ac-

cording to the instant invention, the movement of the piston is effected by the eccentric cam and not by the explosion of the gases. V r

In the illustrated embodiment, the explosive fluid is exploded by means of a spark plug. It is apparent that afspark plug could be replaced by an injector, depending upon the fuel which is being used.

According to the present invention, while one of the two cylinders is receiving the explosive fluid, the other cylinder is undergoing compression and this action continues cyclicly. From theabove description, it is apparent that, according to the present invention, there is provided an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a

pression of said fluid but open when said counterpiston is urged away from said first piston by the exploding fiuid andmeans interconnecting said turbine and said means for urging said first piston toward said counterpiston, so .that rotation of said turbine causes reciprocation of said first piston.

2. An internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1, wherein 'said resilient means comprises spring'means constantly urging said counterpiston toward said firstpiston.

.3. In an internal combustion engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve comprises a port in, said cylinder, said port being in communicationwith said conduit means and the interior of the cylinder,j said port being blocked by said counterpiston when said resilient means maintains said counterpiston in its position toward said first piston, said port being in open communication with the combustion chamber when said counterpiston is forced away from said first piston by the explosion of the fluid.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a portion defining a combustion chamber, a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder for compressing explosive fluid in said chamber, means for introducing explosive fluid into said combustion chamber, means for moving said piston to compress said explosive fluid in said combustion chamber, means for exploding said explosive fluid when under compression in said combustion chamber, a turbine, conduit means for conducting exploded gases out of said combustion chamber to said turbine, means interconnecting said turbine and said means for moving said piston so that rotation of said turbine causes reciprocation of said piston, and valve means controlling communication between said combustion chamber and said conduit means, said means for moving said piston including means for maintaining the piston at its point of compression for a predetermined time to allow the explosion to take place and to allow the exploded gases to be conducted out of said combustion chamber.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of opposed, aligned cylinders, a double-acting piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinders, a counterpiston reciprocably mounted in each of said cylinders, each of said counterpistons being in opposition to the respective ends of said double-acting piston, the space in each cylinder between the double-acting piston and the counterpiston defining a combustion chamber, means for introducing explosive fluid alternately into each combustion chamber, means for reciprocating the double-acting piston to alternately compress the explosive fluid in each combustion chamber, means in each combustion chamber for exploding the explosive fluid therein when under compression, resilient means urging each counterpiston toward the respective end of the double-acting piston whereby explosion of the explosive fluid urges the counterpiston, against the force of said resilient means, away from the end of the double-acting piston to enlarge a combustion chamber to receive the exploded gases, conduit means for conducting exploded gases out of each of said combustion chambers to a turbine, valve means for controlling communication between each combustion chamber and said conduit means, said valve means including a valve responsive to the movement of the counterpiston so that said valve is closed during compression of said fluid but open when the counterpiston is urged away from the double-acting piston by the exploded fluid.

6. In an internal combustion engine as defined in claim 5, in combination with said turbine, a cam shaft driven by said turbine, an eccentric cam mounted on said cam shaft, said eccentric cam reciprocating said doubleacting piston.

7. In an internal combustion engine as defined in claim 6 wherein said eccentric cam is so shaped that a piston is maintained at its point of compression for a predetermined time in order to allow the explosion to take place and to allow the exploded gases to be conducted out of the combustion chamber.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of opposed, aligned cylinders, a housing supporting said cylinders, a hollow, double-acting piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinders, means closing the end of each cylinder remote from said piston, a counterpiston in each cylinder, each counterpiston being in opposition with one end of said double-acting piston, the space between each counterpiston and the corresponding end of the doubleacting piston defining a combustion chamber, means for alternately introducing explosive fluid into each combustion chamber, means for reciprocating said doubleacting piston to compress the explosive fluid in one combustion chamber and to introduce the explosive fluid into the other combustion chamber, means in each combustion chamber for exploding said explosive fluid when under compression therein, resilient means urging each counterpiston toward the corresponding end of the double-acting piston whereby explosion of said fluid urges said counter.

piston, against the force of said resilient means, away from said double-acting piston to enlarge the combustion chamber to receive the exploded gases, conduit means in communication with each combustion chamber for conducting exploded gases out of said combustion chamher to a turbine, valve means controlling communication between each combustion chamber and the corresponding conduit means, said valve means including a valve responsive to the movement of the counterpiston so that said valve is closed during compression of said fluid but open when said counterpiston is urged away from said first piston by the exploding fluid, a cam shaft, means for rotating said cam shaft, an eccentric cam mounted on said cam shaft, said eccentric cam being positioned within the hollow of said double-acting piston, means in said piston cooperating with said cam whereby rotation of said cam causes reciprocation of said piston.

9. in an internal combustion engine as recited in claim 8 in combination with said turbine and including means connecting said cam shaft to said turbine whereby rotation of said turbine rotates said cam shaft, said turbine being rotated by said exploded gases being conducted out of said combustion chambers.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of opposed, aligned cylinders, a double-acting piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinders, means for alternately introducing explosive fluid into each of said cylinders, means for reciprocating said piston to compress said fluid in one of said cylinders while the fluid is introduced into the other of said cylinders, means for exploding said fluid while under compression, a turbine, means for directing the exploded gases to said turbine for driving said turbine, means interconnecting said turbine and said means for reciprocating said piston so that rotation of said turbine will eifect reciprocation of said piston, said means for reciprocating said piston maintaining the piston at its point of compression for a predetermined time in order to allow time for the explosion to take place and for directing the exploded gases to drive said turbine.

1'1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a first piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, at counterpiston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder in opposition to said first piston, the space in said cylinder between said pistons defining a combustion chamber, means for introducing explosive fluid into said combustion chamber, means for urging said first piston toward said counterpiston to'compress said explosive fluid, means for exploding said explosive fluids when under compression in said combustion chamber, resilient means urging said counterpiston toward said first piston whereby explosion of said fluid urges said counterpiston, against the force of said resilient means, away from said first piston to enlarge the combustion chamber to receive exploded gases, conduit means for conducting exploded gases out of said combustion chamber to a turbine, valve means controlling communication between said combustion chamber and said conduit means, said valve means ineluding a valve responsive to the movement of said counterpiston so that said valve is closed during compression of said fluid but open when said counterpiston is urged away from said first piston by the exploding fluid, said means for urging said first piston toward said counterpiston including means for maintaining the first piston at its point of compression for a predetermined time to allow the explosion to take place and to allow the exploded gases to be conducted out of said combustion chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent Howard Aug. 1, 1961 

